Woman&#39;s garment



Oct. 6, 1953 H. N ELSON WOMAN S GARMENT Filed Nov. 16, 1949 Patented bot. 6

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WOMANS GARMENT Hildred Nelson, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 16, 1949, Serial No. 127,600

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in womens garments, and more particularly to garments of the corset type which are adapted to cover and support the torso and breasts of the wearer.

The need for garments of this type which are generally made in whole or in part of elastic material to permit freedom of movement, is universally recognized. Such garments afford not only necessary support, but are required to be worn in order that the clothes and figure of the wearer may be made to appear to best advantage. These garments are relatively expensive and in many instances financial circumstances will not permit ownership of more than one garment at one time.

It is a well known fact that women are apt to perspire profusely in the breast region, and to avoid the odor of stale perspiration in the bust portion of the garment, laundering of the entire garment is required after almost every wearing. Such frequent laundering soon destroys the elasticity of the garment and renders it incapable of performing its function. Moreover, because of the length of time required for drying the owner is either deprived of the use of the garment because it is wet or she must wear a soiled garment at a time when she wishes to appear at her best.

In order to overcome this difiiculty manyv women resort to the wearing of two separate garments, namely a brassire and corset. In most instances, however, double garments afford neither the comfort nor support of a single garment, nor are they capable of presenting the smooth flowing line from bust to hip which fashion demands.

The garments as presently manufactured'are faulty in still another particular. It often happens that in examining these articles prospective purchasers find the body portion satisfactory and the brassiere portion unsatisfactory, or vice versa. Because the industry has failed to provide a single garment where proper provision is made for adjustment, the buyer may be forced to purchase an ill fitting garment unless she is willing and able to afford one that is custom made. Further, the single garment being of one color, the owner is often deprived of its use when wearing a dress of a different color by reason of the fact that th conflicting color of the brassiere may beseen through the dress.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome these difficulties and to provide a garment which is free from the defects of the prior art.

It is a further and important object of the present invention to provide a garment wh rein the brassire may be readily and easily attached and detached from the body portion.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a garment wherein the brassiere portion may be laundered without laundering the body portion.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a garment whereby any desired type of brassire may be readily and easily attached and be combined with a body portion to form asingle garment.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a garment whereby brassieres of any desired color may be readily and easily combined with a body portion and detachably secured thereto to form a single garment.

These and numerous other objects and advantages will b apparent throughout the progress of the following specification.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a selected embodiment of the invention, and the views thereof are as follows:

Fig. 1 is a front view in perspective of the body portion of the new garment without the brassiere;

Fig. 2 is a front view in perspective of the brassire;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the complete garment, showing the brassire detachably secured to the body portion; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the tape-containing fastening elements which is adapted to be secured to a brassire.

To illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is shown a body portion Ill extending substantially from the hip to the bust line of the wearer and which is adapted to cover and support the torso. The said body portion is generally made wholly or in part of elastic material to provide freedom of movement. The upper front marginal edge of said body portion 10 is shaped with the cut-out portions l2 and the tongue 14 to receive the lower part of an associated brassiere [6 as hereinafter explained.

Interengaging fastening elements l8 and I 9 are permanently secured in predetermined spaced relation to each upper side marginal edge of said body portion l0, and supplemental fastening element 20 is located in the upper part of tongue I4 as shown in Fig. 1. Along the upper rear marginal edge of said body portion there are provided strap fastening elements 22 and 24 for purposes hereinafter set forth. At the lower marginal edge of said body portion H) are positioned garters 26 which are of th usual type and which form no part of this invention.

The brassire l6 may be of any type, style or 3 color but is adapted to be detachably securable to the body portion Hi. It is provided with fastening elements 28 and 30 permanently secured in predetermined spaced relation along its side marginal edges, said fastening elements being de- 5 signed to engage with related fastening elements l8 and [9, respectively, of the body portion I 0. Positioned in the center of said brassiere I6 is supplemental fasteningelement 32; which is adapted to engage its related fastening element 10 located on the tongue [4 of th body portion Ill.

The breast cups 34 and 36 have upwardly C0115 verging edges to form shoulder points 36 and 40, to which shoulder straps 42 and 44 are new nently secured, for example, by stitching. The shoulder straps 42 and 44 are of a length suacient to extend across the summers: baelrof the wearer and their back ends are formed with twin tabs 46 and 48 having buttonholes 5'0 and 52 therein which are adapted to engage the fas tening elements 22 and 243l'o'cat'ed at the upper marginal edge ofbody portion H), The straps are provided with strap-adl'l ting" elements 54 and 56 of the usual type for strap adjustment.

It will be noted that when the intereng'aging fastening elements of the body portion l0 and the brassi're' If are engaged as described, a single harmonious garment is formed. The breast cups 34' and are naturallyseated in the-cut-out portions l2 and the tongue r4 positions itself natu- 30 rally in the center of the brassiere and is there secured by fastening elements l4 and 32, respectively'.

The combined fastening. elements when en-' gaged effectively prevent any separation of the body portion I0 and the brassire l6 and the com bined garment has the effect and gives the appearance of a single, smooth free-flowing line which is so desirable. I I I A It may also be noted that any desired brassiere may be adapted to combine with the body portion l0. Shown in Fig.- 4 is a tape 58- with the faselements- 60' permanently secured thereon-,- and any required number of such tapes may be used to adapt any desired type of brassiere to' combine with the body portion to to formthe new garment. Snap fasteners and buttons are shown as thefastening means on'the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood thatany type or fastening means, such as hooksand eyes or slide fasteners, may be used: without depart-- ing from the spirit of the invention. '7

While the type of the brassiere illustrated is: shown with breastcupshaving upwardly converging edges to form shoulder points to which the shoulder straps are secured, it will be' ap parent evento the unskilled that the shoulder straps may be securedtoany brassiere even if not so constructed, and the present invention: isnot limited tosuch a construction.

There is thus disclosed a-woman'sgarment ofthe corset type which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, which has the effect and gives the appearance of a. single garment, and which is free from the faults of the single garments 5B presently manufactured, It provides means whereby brassieres, of different types; styles and colors may be-readily'usedand combined with one body portion and where the brassire' itself may be frequently laundered without the necessity of laundering the entire garment.

Changes may be made in form or construction without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows;

l. A lady's garment or the class described comprising in combination a body portion extending substantially from the hips to the bust line of the wearer, the upper front marginal edge of said body portion having shaped cut-out sections separated by a tongue, a brassiere portion adapted to cover and support the breasts detachably secured to said body portion and cooperating-therewith to form a single unitary structure, said body portion and said brassiere portion being provided with mutually interengaging fastening means permanently secured in predetermined spaced relation along the upper side marginal edges of said body portion and along the outer marginal edges of said brassiere portion, said fastening means being adapted to engage each other, and a supplemental fastening element positioned in the center of said brassiere portion and being. adapted to engage a related fastening. element on the tongue of said body portion.

2. A lady's garment of the class described comprising in combination a body portion extending substantially from the hips tothe bust line of the wearer, the upper front marginal edge of said body portion having shaped cut-out sections separated by a tongue, a brassiere portion adapted to cover and support the breasts detanhably secured: to said body portion and co operating therewith to form a single unitary structure}. said body portion and said brassiere portion'being provided with mutually interengag-- ing fastening means permanently secured in predetermined spaced relation, along the upper side marginal edges of said body portion and along the' outer marginal edges of said brassiere portion', said fastening. means being adapted to engage each' other; a supplemental fastening elementpositioned in the center of said brassiere portion and being adapted to engage a related fastening: element: on the tongue of said body portion, and a pair of shoulder straps perma-- nently secured to said brassi'r'e' portion and being of sufficient length to extend across the shoulders" and back of the wearer, said shoulder straps being detachably securable on each side of the upper rear marginal edge of said body portion;

HI-LDRED NELSON.

Rem-mas cum inthe me of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number, Name Date H 406,491 Williams July 9, 1889 1,524,212 Rebsamen Jan. 27, 1925 2,358,607 Wrigley Mar. 7, 194$ 2,496,348 Hoenig s Feb. 7, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS- Number Country Date 460,261 Germany May 25, 1928 

